A devastating explosion occurred at a quarry site in Anto-Aboso, located in the Shama District of the Western Region of Ghana, claiming the lives of four individuals, including a foreign national, and injuring several others. The incident unfolded on the evening of Saturday, September 9, 2023, sending shockwaves throughout the community.
Officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) reported that a total of 22 people were present at the site when the explosion erupted. Among the victims, three were Ghanaian nationals, and the fourth was a foreigner. Tragically, the explosion also left five individuals injured, while ten others miraculously escaped unharmed. However, the fate of the remaining individuals remains uncertain, as they are currently unaccounted for.
Emmanuel Nyan, the Shama District Officer of NADMO, provided details of the grim discovery, stating, “Four persons have been found dead. They are at the mortuary at the moment. Three blacks and one white lady. The other four Chinese cannot be found. We are trying to get an excavator to find out if many have been trapped.”
The explosion, believed to be caused by ammonia nitrate explosives, rocked the quarry site around 10 pm, sending shockwaves through the region. Local residents, including Emmanuel Owuewie, the Assemblyman for Anto-Aboso, described the terrifying ordeal. Owuewie recounted that he was inside his room when his ceiling suddenly collapsed, illustrating the sheer force of the explosion.
Efforts to manage the crisis have been swift, with personnel from the Fire Service, NADMO, and other security agencies mobilized to aid in rescue operations and provide support to those affected.
This tragic incident serves as a grim reminder of a similar disaster that struck Appiate, also in the Western Region, on January 20, 2022. In the Appiate explosion, a truck transporting explosives owned by Maxam Limited was involved in an accident, resulting in a catastrophic explosion that claimed 14 lives and left hundreds with varying degrees of injuries. A government-appointed committee was tasked with investigating the Appiate disaster and subsequently presented its findings to the government.
In response to the Appiate tragedy, the government imposed a $6 million fine on Maxam Limited, which was responsible for transporting the explosives through its subcontractors. The lessons from the Appiate incident underscore the critical need for stringent safety measures and oversight in the handling and transportation of explosive materials to prevent such devastating events in the future.
As Ghana mourns the lives lost in the Anto-Aboso explosion and continues to support the injured and missing, the nation grapples with the pressing need to enhance safety standards and regulations in industries dealing with hazardous materials to prevent such catastrophic incidents from recurring.
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